Ex-state worker: I stole taxpayer IDs to get credit cards

A retired office of Taxation and Finance clerk from Troy admitted this morning that he ran up more than $200,000 in credit card debt by stealing the identities of taxpayers and opening accounts in their names.

Walter B. Healey of 143 Oakwood Ave. appeared before Judge Andrew Ceresia and pleaded guilty to felony counts of identity theft, unlawful possession of personal information, tampering with public records and official misconduct for using work computers and other files to access personal taxpayer information.

”I assumed the identities of taxpayers and used the information to apply for credit cards,” Healey told Ceresia. ”I caused financial loss to others by accumulating $200,000 in debt.”

Healey, 63, will be sentenced to 1 1/2 to 4 years in state prison on Oct. 30. He’ll remain free on $5,000 bail until sentencing. As part of a plea deal, Healey also agreed to pay $200,000 in restitution to credit card companies.